UMHB football beats Texas Lutheran 49-31

Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team dominated the first three quarters as the #2-ranked Cru rolled to a 49-31 victory over Texas Lutheran University Saturday night in Belton. UMHB jumped out to a 42-7 lead on the way to improving to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in American Southwest Conference play on the season. The loss drops the Bulldogs to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the ASC on the year.

The Cru scored on its opening possession when Michael Carpenter broke off a 52-yard scoring run to make it 7-0 just 1:16 into the game. Carpenter added a 19-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 14-0 with 9:00 remaining in the first quarter. Brent Peavy's eight-yard scoring scamper cut it to 14-7 just 1:09 later, but LiDarral Bailey broke off a 29-yard scoring run of his own to give UMHB a 12-7 edge at the end of the first quarter. It would stay 21-7 into the second half before Elijah Hudson's 29-yard TD run made it 28-7 early in the third quarter. Bailey added a 14-yard TD toss to Geoff Myles before Hudson scored again, this time on a three-yard run to give the Cru a 42-7 advantage six seconds into the fourth quarter. Texas Lutheran would score on Jo Jo Epps' three-yard run and a 77-yard strike from Trenton White to Cameron Peavy after the Cru began to make wholesale substitutions on both sides of the ball. Brian Gallagher would lead UMHB on a nine-play, 75-yard drive, capped by his one-yard keeper for a score to push the lead to 49-21. TLU would get a 59-yard field goal from Allen Cain and a 14-yard TD pass from White to Collin Bode to cut it to the final margin.

Hudson finished with 140 yards and two touchdowns on the ground for UMHB and Bailey added 101 rushing yards on six carries to go with 218 passing yards and another score. Myles caught eight passes for 148 yards. Javicz Jones topped the Cru defense with 14 tackles and Silvio Diaz added 10 stops and posted 2.0 sacks to become UMHB's career leader. Diaz broke Keith Zunker's previous school record of 19.0 by taking his total to 20.0.

White was 7-13 passing for 157 yards and two scores, all of it in the fourth quarter against UMHB reserves. Cameron Peavy caught eight passes for 161 yards and a score. Darnell Bohannon-Bey led the Bulldog defense with 13 tackles.

The Cru rolled up 410 rushing yards and 628 yards of total offense. Texas Lutheran finished with 380 total yards, much of it coming well after the game had been decided. UMHB posted six sacks and intercepted two passes in the victory.

The Cru has now won 29 consecutive regular season games and 21 straight ASC games. UMHB has also won its last 28 regular season home games.

UMHB will now travel to Pineville, Louisiana to take on Louisiana College in an 11:00 AM kickoff next Saturday. The Wildcats are 4-1 overall and 2-0 in ASC play and are ranked in the top 25 in the country in both national polls.